June 04, 2013

Six Benefits of Telecommuting, if it’s for You!

Recently, the topic of working from home has been raising eyebrows. Marissa Mayer announced plans to bring Yahoo workers back to the office. Is this right for Yahoo? Maybe it is! However, the answer to this question lies in the “eye of the beholder.” Are employees productive from home and are they producing results? This depends upon the company needs and each individual who is a candidate for telecommuting.

According to Bill Leonard at SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) workforce analysts, the time is ripe for employers to commit to offering telecommuting and flexible work options. Increased traffic congestion and the rising costs of commuting is a large factor, not to mention the overhead that will be saved by employers. According to Paul C Boyd, PhD, a principal at the Research Advisors, there are six organizational benefits of telecommuting that companies should consider.

1. Improved Employee Productivity

Telecommuters and employers report employees are more productive at home because there are fewer interruptions.

2. Schedule Flexibility

Telecommuters are more productive when they can work during their most effective periods.

3. Increased Time Available for Work

Telecommuters report that they are less likely to take sick days and alleviate stress of having to drive in traffic and worry about being late for work.

4. Overhead Reductions

Employers have reported up to 30% reductions in overhead

5. Improved Employee Retention and Attraction

Employees who have worked in telecommuting positions tend to look for jobs with the same benefits.

6. Program Continuity

Telecommuting also serves as a mechanism to avoid or minimize external impacts on projects and programs such as weather or sickness.

If telecommuting makes sense for your organization, make sure your dispersed teams have the technology tools they need to collaborate with teammates. GroveSite's easy collaboration tools can get your “virtual teams” on the same page. GroveSite can be used for branded customer project portals, document management and sharing, easy web-based project management, an online database portal, and as a secure team intranet. Learn more about GroveSite's Online Collaboration Solution here.